Written Answers Monday 30 October 2006

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Minister for Environment and Rural Development has formally met the (a) National Farmers Union Scotland, (b) Scottish Organic Producers Organisation, (c) Soil Association and (d) Biodynamic Agriculture Association in the last 12 months.

Ross Finnie: Between 1 November 2005 and 31 October 2006 I had formal meetings with representatives of the National Farmers Union Scotland on six occasions. The other three organisations listed come within the remit of the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development who met each of them on one occasion during the same period.

Alcohol Misuse

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans the NHS has for any related future increase in demand for liver transplants if the excess alcohol consumption of a proportion of the population cannot be reduced and continues at the current rate.

Lewis Macdonald: We are aware of concerns about the effect of increased levels of alcoholic liver disease on the need for liver transplantation.

  The number of liver transplants depends on the number of donor livers that become available. To coincide with the commencement on 1 September this year of the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006, the Executive launched a nationwide advertising campaign to encourage more people to put their name on the NHS Organ Donor Register. Both the new legislation and the advertising campaign aim to increase the cadaveric organ donation rate in Scotland. Since 1 April this year the Scottish Liver Transplant Unit has been able to offer a living donor liver transplantation programme.

  The Executive is fully committed to promoting a more responsible approach to alcohol and reducing alcohol-related harm. The Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems, published in 2002, set out a wide range of action to help to build a Scotland in which alcohol is treated more appropriately. As part of the process to update the plan, the Executive is currently considering a wide range of further action, including research on the factors driving the increase in liver cirrhosis mortality rates (alcohol consumption, obesity and hepatitis C infection) so as to inform future prevention activity.

Asthma

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it recommends that asthma sufferers be immunised against influenza.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive recommends that patients with asthma who require continuous or repeated use of inhaled or systemic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission should be offered seasonal influenza vaccination. This follows advice from the Joint Committee on ‎Vaccination and Immunisation, the United Kingdom expert group on vaccination ‎and immunisation.

Biodiversity

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will maintain, from 2007 to 2013, Scotland’s record of implementing effective biodiversity conservation projects co-funded by the LIFE scheme for funding the environment, particularly in the light of the new arrangements under the scheme.

Rhona Brankin: Arrangements for the implementation of the European Commission’s proposed LIFE+ scheme have still to be finalised by the European authorities.

  Scotland has had significant success in securing funding from previous LIFE programmes and the Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage are encouraging potential applicants to build on this through the development of innovative future projects.

  Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has played an important role in the development and management of many LIFE projects in Scotland and this involvement will be maintained in the lead up to and following the launch of LIFE+. The Scottish Executive will continue to work with SNH and with other national agencies in order to secure the best chance of continued Scottish success in accessing this source of funding.

Charities

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that public agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) should provide sponsorship or other payments towards the cost of charitable events and whether this is within the statutory financial competence of such organisations.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the total sums paid by (a) Scottish Natural Heritage, (b) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, (c) Scottish Enterprise, (d) Highlands and Islands Enterprise and (e) Communities Scotland to charitable organisations in each of the last five years.

Mr Tom McCabe: The issue of sponsorship or payment towards charitable events is an operational matter for individual NDPBs to consider within the powers granted to them and subject to the requirements of their financial framework documents and the Scottish Public Finance Manual .

Charities

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue directions that public agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) should not provide sponsorship or other payments to charities and that such payments should be the responsibility of local or central government.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive has no plans to issue general directions of this nature or place restrictions on agencies and NDPB beyond those already set out in founding legislation, financial framework documents and the Scottish Public Finance Manual .

Concessionary Travel

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider extending entitlement to free bus travel to pensioners using community minibuses, for example on day trips organised by community organisations such as the Annandale Transport Initiative.

Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28724 on 25 October 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Conservation

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to meet its obligations to secure sound management and favourable conservation status for Natura 2000 sites during the funding period 2007 to 2013; which funding sources will support each component of the action to be taken, and how it will ensure that these obligations are met for areas that are not eligible for funding under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, in particular Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation in montane, estuarine and marine environments.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive is fully aware of its obligations under the EC Habitats and Birds Directives and is committed to ensuring that these are met.

  A range of European and domestic funding mechanisms will continue to be available to meet the various needs for protection, promotion and management of all designated Natura sites.

Conservation

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the recently published guidance on funding the Natura 2000 network, including the recommendation that structural, cohesion and fisheries funds should be incorporated as part of Natura funding arrangements, and, if so, what procedures it has put into place to ensure that the guidance is applied.

Rhona Brankin: I can confirm that the Scottish Executive has received the recently published EC Financing Natura 2000 Guidance Handbook.

  The focus of Structural Funds for 2007-13 will be on the contribution to the EU’s Lisbon Jobs and Growth Agenda. There will be a significant reduction in the resource available to Scotland and the Executive does not propose that Structural Funds should be used for projects whose sole purpose is Natura site conservation. However, funding may assist with conservation and biodiversity-based activities which contribute to the economic development of the programme regions. Additional public consultation on the use of Structural Funds in Scotland was launched on 24 October 2006.

  The Executive will also shortly publish a consultation document which will seek views on how the Executive intends to access the European Fisheries Fund. This will include consideration of the potential for the fund to promote marine nature conservation, including the management of marine Natura sites.

  The recent Executive consultation on priorities for the Scottish Rural Development Programme for the period 2007-13 included in its proposed national objectives that special features of Natura sites should be brought into, and maintained in, favourable condition. Funding details for the programme have still to be settled, however, the consultation proposed that measures under the programmes would be able to assist land managers in meeting these aims.

  The Scottish Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage will also continue to encourage potential applicants to the proposed EC LIFE+ programme which is expected to offer significant potential for funding conservation work associated with the Natura network. More detail on LIFE+ is provided in my answer to S2W-28933 on 30 October 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Dentistry

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) total and (b) per capita cost was of the school dental service in each of the last five years, also broken down by (i) NHS board, (ii) local authority and (iii) parliamentary constituency.

Lewis Macdonald: The school dental service no longer exists. Some functions of the former school dental service were transferred to the Community Dental Service in the 1970s, and increasingly in recent years the Salaried General Dental Service has taken on the dental care of patients previously treated by both the School and Community Dental Services.

Dentistry

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether persons in receipt of (a) income support, (b) incapacity benefit and (c) disability living allowance are exempt from NHS dental charges in Scotland.

Lewis Macdonald: Those in receipt of income support are exempt from NHS dental charges. Those in receipt of incapacity benefit and disability living allowance are not exempt from NHS charges but may be entitled to full or partial help under the NHS Low Income Scheme. This scheme is designed for those who are not automatically entitled to free treatment but may have difficulty in paying.

Education

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reviewed, or plans to review, the effectiveness and adequacy of provision by local authorities of additional support for learning for gifted children since the passage of the Education Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004.

Robert Brown: The aim of the act is to ensure that all children and young people with additional support needs, including gifted children, are provided with the necessary support to help them work towards achieving their fullest potential.

  HMIE are monitoring and evaluating the consistency, effectiveness and efficiency of education authorities in implementing the new legislation. An interim report of their findings can be found on the Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education website at: http://www.hmie.gov.uk/, with a final report of their findings published in autumn 2007.

Education

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has conducted or commissioned into the extent of provision by local authorities of additional support for learning for gifted children since the passage of the Education Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004.

Robert Brown: The commencement date of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 was 14 November 2005. To date, no specific research has been conducted or commissioned in relation to gifted children.

Education

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations local authorities have made, either collectively or individually, in respect of the discharge of their duties to provide additional support for learning for gifted children under the Education Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004.

Robert Brown: The Executive is not aware of any such representations.

General Practitioners

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which of the four Directed Enhanced Services (DES) to be provided by GPs in the 2006-07 contract require additional data entry capture on the General Practice Administration System for Scotland (GPASS) and on which date this additional functionality was implemented for each DES.

Mr Andy Kerr: IT functionality is required for three of the four enhanced services rolled-out in 2006-07. Specifically these services are (a) CVD risk register (b) people with learning disabilities and (c) carers.

  The following table shows IT implementation dates for each of these three enhanced services (GPASS practices only):

  

Enhanced Service
Date of IT implementation


(a) CVD risk register: 
Phase 1: 30 May 2006 Phase 2: 30 June 2006


(b) people with learning disabilities
30 June 2006


(c) carers
30 June 2006

General Practitioners

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the new clinical domains in the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) introduced in the GP contract for 2006-07, also indicating which required additional data capture on the General Practice Administration System for Scotland (GPASS) and the date on which this additional functionality was implemented for each QOF.

Mr Andy Kerr: The new clinical domains in the Quality and Outcomes Framework for 2006-07 are atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, dementia, depression, mental health and palliative care.

  All of these new domains required additional data capture functionality.

  For GPASS practices this functionality was made available from 6 July 2006.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what projections it has made of the number of people who will have dementia in (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030, (d) 2040 and (e) 2050.

Lewis Macdonald: The number of people with dementia in Scotland is set to rise as a result of the increase in the older population. There are a range of forecasts to draw on and consider. NHS Health Scotland’s Needs Assessment Report Dementia and Older People , published in October 2003 (Bib. number 37331) predicts the number of people in Scotland with dementia in 2040 as 192,000.

  The Alzheimer Scotland published projections are as follows:

  

Year
Total


2006
64,103


2011
69,761


2016
77,639


2021
88,691


2026
100,331


2031
113,633

Justice

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive To ask the Scottish Executive in how many convictions for offences aggravated by religious prejudice in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06 (i) the target was the police and (ii) the offence involved the perceived hatred of (1) Islam, (2) Judaism, (3) Christianity, (4) Protestantism and (5) Roman Catholicism, (iii) the offence arose from support of, or hostility towards, a football club, (iv) the offence was related to a march or procession, and (v) the offender was considered to be under the influence of alcohol.

Cathy Jamieson: Information at the level of detail requested can not be identified from the available statistics.

Justice

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been reported missing from Ailsa Hospital in each of the last five years and how many of these were restricted.

Lewis Macdonald: The number of restricted patient absconds from Ailsa Hospital in the last five years is as follows:

  
2002 - 0
2003 - 0
2004 - 0
2005 - 0
2006 - 3.


  The number of non-restricted absconds is not available centrally.

Justice

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether disciplinary action has been taken or is currently in progress against any member of NHS Ayrshire and Arran staff following investigations relating to absconding by Mark Biggley from Ailsa Hospital in May 2006.

Lewis Macdonald: This is a matter for NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much compensation has been paid to each victim of a miscarriage of justice in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: It is Executive policy not to disclose the amount of compensation paid to individual applicants without the express permission of the applicant. Accordingly, because the number of cases involved is small, providing the requested information on an annual basis could lead to the identification of individual claimants.

  The Executive has paid compensation, both interim payments and final settlements, totalling £2,051,573 in the last five years.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive what criteria are used for deciding the amount of compensation to be paid to each victim of a miscarriage of justice.

Cathy Jamieson: Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 provides that the Scottish ministers shall pay compensation in cases where a conviction is reversed on the ground that a new or newly discovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriage of justice unless non-disclosure of the unknown fact was wholly or partly attributable to the person convicted. In addition, ministers may be prepared to make an ex gratia payment of compensation following a wrongful conviction or charge where this has resulted from serious default on the part of a member of a police force or some other public authority. There may also be exceptional circumstances that justify compensation in cases outside these categories.

  In all cases, claims for compensation are considered by the Scottish ministers following receipt of applications from individuals. If ministers determine that there is a right to compensation under either the statutory or ex gratia scheme, the amount of compensation paid is determined by an independent assessor. The assessment is based on a Memorandum prepared by the Justice Department, compiling information submitted by the applicant, other relevant papers and taking account of comments from the applicant. In considering claims, the assessor applies principles analogous to those on which claims for damages arising from civil wrongs are assessed. The assessor can also recommend interim payments to applicants where they provide evidence of immediate need.

  Under the statutory scheme the Scottish ministers have no power to vary the determination. In ex gratia claims the assessor's role is strictly to advise ministers of the amount to be paid, but ministers have agreed to be bound by the assessor's recommendation.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how long it took for compensation, awarded to victims of miscarriages of justice in each of the last five years, to reach each victim.

Cathy Jamieson: It is Executive policy not to disclose details of the claims for compensation paid to individual applicants without the express permission of the applicant. Accordingly, because the number of cases is small, providing the requested information on an annual basis could lead to the identification of individual claimants.

  For cases concluded since the start of 2001, records show that it has taken between 10 months and four years from the date of application to the date of final payment of compensation for a miscarriage of justice. The timescale to complete a claim for compensation is determined by a number of factors including the complexity of the case, the availability of supporting evidence on pecuniary and non-pecuniary losses suffered by the applicant and how quickly applicants can provide the specialised reports they wish to commission for the assessor’s consideration. Independent assessors can authorise interim payments to applicants when consideration of a complex case may be lengthy and the applicant can demonstrate a need for immediate funds in advance of a final settlement. In cases that have been referred to an assessor in the last five years, at least one interim payment has been authorised in every case.

Justice

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in view of the forthcoming UK Discrimination Law Review Green Paper, it plans to make representations to Her Majesty’s Government that it should consult on whether the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland should consider discrimination cases in education which are currently dealt with by the sheriff courts.

Robert Brown: I confirm that in view of the forthcoming UK Discrimination Law Review Green Paper, the Scottish Executive intends to make representations to Her Majesty’s Government that it should consult on whether the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland should consider discrimination cases in education which are currently dealt with by the sheriff courts.

NHS Finance

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the per capita budget of each NHS board was in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: Details are as follows:

  

NHS Board Per Capita
2002-03 
Per Capita £
2003-04 
Per Capita £
2004-05 
Per Capita £
2005-06 
Per Capita £
2006-07 
Per Capita £
Increase 2002-03 
to 2006-07 %


Argyll and Clyde
1,139
1,222
1,374
1,470
-
 


Ayrshire and Arran
1,125
1,215
1,383
1,465
1,576
40.1


Borders
1,096
1,174
1,330
1,412
1,502
37.1


Dumfries and Galloway
1,176
1,258
1,418
1,515
1,616
37.4


Fife
1,009
1,088
1,229
1,313
1,411
39.8


Forth Valley
1,055
1,118
1,235
1,349
1,407
33.3


Grampian
1,030
1,102
1,196
1,253
1,328
28.9


Greater Glasgow
1,291
1,358
1,509
1,600
1,649
27.7


Highland
1,186
1,276
1,454
1,558
1,654
39.4


Lanarkshire
1,038
1,128
1,252
1,348
1,438
38.5


Lothian
995
1,136
1,199
1,264
1,337
34.4


Orkney
1,338
1,400
1,579
1,751
1,782
33.2


Shetland
1,412
1,523
1,629
1,769
1,824
29.2


Tayside
1,223
1,283
1,421
1,492
1,593
30.2


Western Isles
1,775
1,926
2,076
2,242
2,325
31.0



  Note: Per capita figures for 2002-03 to 2005-06 are based on final revenue allocations to NHS boards. 2006-07 per capita figures are based on allocation made to date.

NHS Waiting Times

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on reducing waiting times for non-emergency MRI scans.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on waiting times for MRI scans is not currently available.

  Work is well advanced to develop and implement a data collection system for waiting times for key diagnostic tests and procedures, including MRI scans. Central data collection is now underway and it is expected that provisional information will be published before the end of 2006.

  In June 2005, I announced a maximum nine-weeks waiting time target for eight key diagnostic tests, including MRI scans. This commitment will come into effect from the end of 2007. Meantime, NHS boards are working to reduce diagnostic waiting times for patients through service redesign, investment in capacity and more efficient working to ensure that the target is met.

NHS Waiting Times

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any evidence that waiting times for MRI scans are due to excessive numbers of referrals by GPs.

Mr Andy Kerr: All requests for MRI scans made by clinicians, including GPs, are reviewed by experienced radiology staff - normally a consultant – before a scan is carried out to ensure clinical appropriateness. This is designed to ensure that scans are carried out in response to appropriate requests while minimising unnecessary use of diagnostic resources. The Scottish Executive has no evidence to indicate that MRI scans are being carried out unnecessarily or that waiting times are being extended due to inappropriate referrals. The Executive’s published target for the NHS is that MRI scans, together with other key diagnostic procedures, must be carried out within nine weeks of referral by the end of 2007. The NHS is making progress towards achieving this target.

  Work is well advanced to develop and implement a data collection system for waiting times for key diagnostic tests and procedures, including MRI scans. Central data collection is now underway and it is expected that provisional information will be published before the end of 2006.

Older People

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly residents have received (a) free central heating and (b) a concessionary travel card in the Paisley North parliamentary constituency.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on numbers who have received free central heating is only available at main postcode level. In the PA post code area the number of properties that have benefited from the Central Heating Programme in the private sector, since the programme began in September 2001 until September 2006, is 4,294.

  Information on numbers receiving concessionary travel cards is only available at local authority level. The following table shows the number of concessionary travel cards held by those living in the Renfrew Council area.

  

Card Type
Number


Aged 60 or over
28,688


Disabled
 1,930


Disabled + Companion
 3,139


Visually impaired
 267


Visually impaired + Companion
 340

Renewable Energy

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive when ministers received an application for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the development of a wind farm at Corlick Hill, Greenock; what the reasons are for it not yet having reached a decision on the matter; when it expects to reach a decision, and whether, should further evidence on the subject be presented, it will support the re-opening of the public inquiry.

Allan Wilson: A section 36 application for the Corlick Hill, Greenock wind farm was received on 9 May 2003. Following objections from Inverclyde Council and other consultees, a Public Inquiry was held in March 2005.

  Under the Electricity Act 1989, Scottish ministers must fully consider all material issues, including the conclusions and recommendations made by the Public Inquiry reporter. There is no set timescale for the overall decision making process. In the event of further relevant evidence being presented which has not been addressed by the reporter and which would lead to the Scottish ministers disagreeing with the reporter’s recommendation, ministers would re-open the Public Inquiry.

Scottish Executive Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the departmental unallocated provision, detailed in table 8.03 of its Draft Budget 2007-08, has been spent on in each year since 2002-03 and what it anticipates it will be spent on in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Departmental Unallocated Provision (DUP) is generally established on completion of each Spending Review and annually at the beginning of each budget setting period. This recognises that there will be emergent commitments and pressures as the landscape changes beyond the Spending Review year. This is mainly set aside to manage agreed developments during each financial year.

  Since 2002-03, the departmental unallocated provision has been committed to the following:

  

Year
DUP total(£ Million)
Spent On


2002-03
0.0
n/a


2003-04
27.6
Pay and service modernisation pressures


2004-05
0.0
n/a


2005-06
2.3
Additional waiting times initiatives


2006-07
76.8
£50 million: Community pharmacy receipts to be passed to NHS boards (this reflects accounting treatment for the 2006-07 financial year only).
£10 million: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde non-recurring transitional funding.
  £4 million: Technical non-cash accounting adjustment for NHS Lothian in respect of change in balance sheet treatment of PFI contract.
£4 million: Patients Travel funding increase.
£9 million: Change and Innovation Projects. 



  There is £32.3 million classed as Departmental Unallocated Provision in 2007-08. This will be allocated to fund emergent requirements and agreed developments by the end of this financial year as part of the detailed budget setting process for 2007-08.

Transport

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to a Forth tunnel option in the event that an additional crossing proves necessary.

Tavish Scott: A study into a possible replacement Forth crossing is being fast-tracked as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review. This study will consider various options for crossing the Forth, including a tunnel.

Vaccines

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects supplies of the flu vaccine to be available in each NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested for each NHS board is not centrally held. However, information on Scotland-wide deliveries can be found in the answer to question S2W-28830 on 24 October 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .